Tricia,
did you ever find the family on the 1920 census? On this census, his mother, Mary, age 75, had alien status. Because of her age, it is more than likely that she never naturalized. She was widowed by the time of this census. The last two people listed are boarders. This census gives the son Antonio's birthplace as Pennsylvania.

Deb, Did you pull Prospero's birth act from Ancestry? I have been trying to do so but cannot locate it? I have searched with both his first and last name under Roccanova and Potenza files but come up empty. Please let me know. thank you!
- Tricia

Tricia, the records are not indexed, so they aren't going to show up in any searches. Here's how to find them:

1) Go to Ancestry's home page
2) Roll over the drop-down box at that says "Search"
3) Choose the last option: "Card Catalog"
4) In the left column, scroll down to the "Filter by Location" option
5) Choose Europe, then Italy, then Basilicata, then Potenza
6) In the main frame of the page choose the first option (....Civil Registrations)
7) IMPORTANT: Click the button at the top right that says "ADD TO QUICK LINKS" - otherwise you have to repeat 1 through 6 every time (and, yes, it took me a awhile to figure that out )

Now, on the right hand side of the page, you can use the "Browse this image set" options to navigate to the records for Roccanova.

I noticed yesterday when I was pulling that birth act that the good gentleman of Roccanova who created the original indexes did so by FIRST names, not last. In the 1869 "Indice Annuale Nascite" you will find Prospero Maimone under "P", not "M." On the bright side, Roccanova was(is?) a very small town; the entire index is only two pages long. This was my first foray into the records of Roccanova (my own Roccanova family lived about 50km away, in Craco) so I do not know how many of the indexes are like that.

That's my guess, Debi. That Eleanora's last name is Maimone, but Antonio's birth record would have to be found to confirm that. I always like to have documents to prove or disprove my educated guesses.

I am just surprised that the marriage record doesn't say unknown or uncertain father. Normally it would read padre ignoto or padre incerto and then give the mother's first and last names.

maestra36 wrote:That's my guess, Debi. That Eleanora's last name is Maimone, but Antonio's birth record would have to be found to confirm that. I always like to have documents to prove or disprove my educated guesses.

Peg

Me, too. I was mostly wondering what the law and/or prevailing custom was. Seems like, again, this record doesn't conform.

I am curious...what does the notation in the right-hand column of the second page of the birth act say?

Debi thanks so much for the detailed directions! I will definitely use it and see if I can find other records for other locales in Italy where I am searching as well.
Peg, I have a familly history center near me and have visited it before so thank you for the link for the microfilm. I can seqarch their records at the center. Unfortunately I have some appts today to attend to so I must take a break until this afternoon...ha! This is definitely an addiction at this point Thanks to all,
Tricia